Pennsylvania public libraries

Another post commenting on Chapter 20 of Give Us a Dollar and We’ll Give You Back Four (2012-13)–now available as a $9.99 Kindle ebook or $21.95 paperback with ISBN 978-1481279161 on Amazon, along with the usual Lulu options. Note that Lulu prices for the paperback and hardback versions are now lower.

Pennsylvania’s 391 profiled libraries (another 66 omitted) are generally notvery well funded: more than three-quarters are in the bottom four spending brackets, compared to roughly 40% overall. Circulation is low, with only 31% circulating at least eight items per capita (compared to 50% overall). Patron visits are also low, with 32% reporting at least five visits per capita (compared to 54% overall). Program attendance is also somewhat low—and PC use is very low, with only 26% of libraries reporting at least one use per capita (compared to 57% overall).

Libraries by legal service area

LSA

Count

%

Outliers

700-1,149

1

0.3%

5

1,150-1,649

2

0.5%

7

1,650-2,249

7

1.8%

11

2,250-2,999

10

2.6%

7

3,000-3,999

12

3.1%

10

4,000-5,299

17

4.3%

9

5,300-6,799

32

8.2%

9

6,800-8,699

35

9.0%

1

8,700-11,099

28

7.2%

11,100-14,099

45

11.5%

1

14,100-18,499

45

11.5%

1

18,500-24,999

50

12.8%

1

25,000-34,499

37

9.5%

1

34,500-53,999

31

7.9%

2

54,000-104,999

27

6.9%

1

105,000-4.1 mill.

12

3.1%

Circulation per capita and spending per capita

Circulation per capita correlates strongly (0.60) with spending per capita.

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